1992 Kona rear dropout / hub question?

[njgoldby]

I have a 1992 Kona Explosif and am looking to change the rear wheel. I think it needs a 130mm rear axle but am not 100% sure.
Does this mean I need to by an old stock hub to have built into a new wheel or is there a spacer that can be removed from a 135mm
I did try fitting another new wheel in the frame (Presumably 135mm) and it felt way to hard to flex the drop outs apart. The current 130mm Parallex hub is already tight.

Can anyone explain the hub sizes.

PS - this is obviously non - disc

Thanks in advance.

Nic

 

[Andy R]

I have a 1992 Kona Explosif and am looking to change the rear wheel. I think it needs a 130mm rear axle but am not 100% sure.
Does this mean I need to by an old stock hub to have built into a new wheel or is there a spacer that can be removed from a 135mm
I did try fitting another new wheel in the frame (Presumably 135mm) and it felt way to hard to flex the drop outs apart. The current 130mm Parallex hub is already tight.

Can anyone explain the hub sizes.

PS - this is obviously non - disc

Thanks in advance.

Nic

An Explosif (any year) will have 135mm rear hub spacing.

What's the over lock nut dimension of your existing hub? If it's less than 135mm then you have a spacer missing , which has resulted in the frame being pinched narrower than it should be.
It can be opened out again though...

 

[njgoldby]

I will measure again tonight. It was just at that resistance where I felt like damage would occur if I flexed to much.

So have hubs always been 135mm? I was under the perhaps miss guided impression that the changed from 130 to 135mm at some point in history.

 

[hamster]

You are right that they changed width, but generally it was late 1980's when seven speed came in.

 

[njgoldby]

Ah thank you.

I think what was making me think the wheel I had was 130mm is the extra length of skewer thread visable on the old bike when the wheel is clamped in place. But my college has just pointed out it is because the kona is steel and has thinner dropouts than my modern ali bike.

So in theory I can run 7speed cassette on 8/9 speed hub with a spacer?
Or indeed run 8spd.

 

[Andy R]

Check your frame alignment to find out which side of the rear triangle needs adjusting (or it could be both, of course) - good old Sheldon Brown has some info on doing this here.
............................................................
Edit - Now you've decided that the hub is 135mm after all, you can ignore the above of course....sorry, must learn to type faster :roll:

 

[hamster]

So in theory I can run 7speed cassette on 8/9 speed hub with a spacer?
Or indeed run 8spd.

Yes, spacers are generally 3mm, in fact an old cassette spacer from between the cogs fits fine.

8 and 9 speed also are interchangeable.

 

[njgoldby]

Thanks guys. Both a great help.

Did try Sheldon but searched hubs not frames.